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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cue — a hint
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. track — to keep track
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. cue — a signal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. track — a song
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. face — part of the head
  18. craft — a skill
  19. track — a path
  20. row — to paddle
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com